Two days after the start of the New Year Lily said good bye to her parents and boarded the train with her friend who hadn't seen his parents since she helped him escape from the prison they called a house. Rose, Hugo, and their parents were late as they usually are so Scorpius and Lily board the train without her. Seconds before the train was to leave Rose ran into the compartment and plopped down on the seat next to Lily. She put her head on her shoulder and panted until she had enough strength to hold up her own head.
"And people say girls take a long time to get ready," she shook her head, "How I loathe my baby brother. I'm going to look for Alana."
Rose left as quickly as she came in search of her friend. Lily and Scorpius fell into a comfortable silence in her absence. She came back only 10 minutes after she left meaning she didn't find her.
"She's in St. Mungo's," Rose sat down next to Lily and looked at her shoes, "They don't think she'll come back this year. She's going to have to repeat her second year."
"No," Lily shook her head, "I'm sure they'll bring her the work from her classes."
Rose shrugged and the remainder of the long train ride to Hogwarts was completely silent in their compartment. Lily had dismissed all of Rose's claims that this was some kind of dark magic but she was beginning to believe it. She tried to think of other things it could be the whole way to school. By the time the train had stopped she'd come up with one. To prevent herself from feeling any responsibility for the disappearances of her friend and fellow classmates she decided that it was not dark magic but an elaborate prank. The trio was separated in the chaos of getting off the train as usual. Lily ended up two carriages behind them with Evan Creevey.
"Hello Lily," he smiled.
"Hello," she glanced in his direction then stuck her head out the carriage hoping to see Rose and Scorpius.
"Have a nice holiday?" he asked.
"Yes thank you," she didn't even bother to look at him.
"I heard Finola turned up last night," he said quietly.
"What?" Lily's head shot over in his direction.
"You didn't know?"
"No," she shook her head and once again fell silent.
Once they arrived at the Hogwarts castle, Lily went straight to Gryffindor Tower. Rose and Scorpius were already there sitting in the chairs they usually sat at by the fire. Lily sat down in the middle chair. Rose put the bag of candy on her lap. They had decided on the train that Lily would sit in the middle and hold the candy because she ate less and ore slowly so there was no chance of her eating it all before the others could.
"Finny's back," Lily said taking a Liquorice Wand from the bag.
"I heard," Rose looked at Lily.
"Any word on whether or not she's normal?" Scorpius inquired eying Lily's Liquorice Wand.
"I didn't hear anything, Lily shook her head. Rose nodded in agreement. Scorpius's continued staring at Lily's candy didn't go unnoticed. "Do you want it?"
He nodded. "Accio liquorice," the candy flew into his hand.
"Scor, could you be any lazier?" Lily laughed.
"Scor?" Rose looked at her strangely.
"We came up with it a few days ago." Lily pulled her feet up onto the chair. "Scorpius is such a long name."
The next day truly marked the end of holiday with the first day of the new semester. Lily's day started out as normally as any others. She woke up and went to breakfast with Rose and Scorpius. After breakfast she walked to Hagrid's hut to stand in on his Care of Magical Creatures class as she did every Tuesday. However, when she got to the hut there was no one in sight. She walked to the door and knocked. Hagrid quickly came to the door.
"Lily!" he pulled her inside. "What are you doing here?"
"Hagrid, I always come to your first class on Tuesdays," she laughed, "remember because it's earlier so I can come before Herbology."
"Care of Magical Creatures has been cancelled."
"What? Why?"
"Students aren't allowed to be this close to the forest," his eyes grew wide. "I shouldn't have said that. I really shouldn't have said that?"
"What about flying?" she asked frantically. "I love flying. And Herbology? I love Herbology too. Are we going to be stuck in doors? Do they know anything? What does the song mean?"
"Lily," Hagrid though for a moment. "I'm sorry but I can't help you. Flying and Herbology are still being taught. No, you will not be stuck inside. You just can't stray past the courtyard. Now you really have to go. Don't want to go disappearing do ya? I shouldn't have said that."
"You don't actually buy into this nonsense?" Lily laughed.
"Lily, you really need to go."
"Alright," she threw her hands up in mock surrender, "good bye Hagrid."
She left the hut and walked to the greenhouse. She sat down in one of the seats and looked at the odd cactus-like plant with large boils for spines in front of her. She took out her book and looked it up. She discovered it was mimbulus mimbletonia. She was about to reach out a touch it when she saw the warning in bold letters instructing her not to. She pulled her hand back and put her book away just as Professor Longbottom walked in.
"Lily?" he sat down next to her, "is everything alright? You're not usually one to be early."
"Care of Magical Creatures was cancelled," she looked down.
"Lily, you're not in that class," he said slowly as if she was unaware of the fact.
"Obviously Neville," she bit her lip, "I mean Professor."
"It's ok no one is here," he smiled, "so what does Care of Magical Creatures have to do with your being early?"
"I stand in on Hagrid's first class Tuesday mornings," Lily explained.
"Ah, well, I'd be happy to have you here early Tuesday mornings."
Lily and Neville talked and worked on getting ready for the class. He explained the mimbulus mimbletonia to her. Somehow they got onto the topic of the disappearances. Neville, having spent more time with Lily outside of school than the aging Hagrid who rarely leaves Hogwarts spoke freely with her to his regret later on in the conversation when he revealed the fact that Professor Sprout was in fact quite worried. When students began trickling in Lily took her seat and Neville took his place at the head of the table. Once everyone was there he began class.
"Good morning," he smiled.
"Good morning," the class replied sleepily.
"Can anyone tell me what is in front of us?" he asked. Lily's hand shot up. "Besides Lily?" No one raised their hand. "Ok Lilly."
"It's a mimbulus mimbletonia," she smiled loving the advantage she had over al the other students. She wasn't particularly good at Herbology or interested but Neville was like family and he helped her with everything making her look like a Herbology scholar.
"What is one thing you should never do to a mimbulus mimbletonia?" he asked her. Before she could answer a student poked it releasing a smelly dark green liquid.
"Touch it," she said holding her nose.
After Herbology she had Transfigurations. She rather liked Transfigurations. She wanted to become and Animagus just like Professor McGonagall and her grandfather. She had asked Professor McGonagall to help her on more than one occasion but she would always say that she was too young. She found this rather hypocritical considering she was taught by her mother when she was only 10. Despite her love of Transfigurations it was not her favorite class. Her favorite class was her third: Flying. When her second class ended she ran to the Quidditch field. Starting the second day of classes Lily had been the first one there every day.
"Miss Potter," Madam Hooch greeted her as usual.
"Hello," Lily smiled and stood next to the best broom, "what will we be learning today?"
"Since it is the first day of classes after the holiday I've decided to give everyone a break and have a lecture today," she said then looked at Lily to see how upset she was.
"Oh but I need to fly," Lily complained, "I need to feel the wind in my face."
Madam Hooch looked at her watch. "You have 5 minutes."
"Thank you," Lily pulled a ball out of her pocket. "Up." The broomstick flew into her hand. She mounted the broom and threw the ball then took off after it. She caught it and threw it again. She repeated this until she heard her name being called. Assuming it had been five minutes she slowly descended onto the ground. She noticed there still weren't any people there.
"Too high again?" she furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Have you thought about trying out for the Quidditch team," she asked.
Lily shook her head, "I thought all the positions were filled."
"They were," Madam Hooch nodded, "When Alana well after Alana they kept her position opened by just having a sub in there. The outcome was falling way behind. Although the damage was not too severe and could be fixed with a good player getting in there."
"Alana? But," Lily shook her head, "she played seeker."
"I think you'd be a fine seeker," she said truthfully, "you're always catching that ball of yours."
"My ball doesn't have wings," Lily threw it up about a foot into the air then caught it.
"Think about it," Madam Hooch said as the first students started coming to class.
A/N: Thanks to queen of randomfor the nickname idea.